Navigation controls allow a user the ability to position an object, relative to a reference, through activation of an electromechanical switch. Conventional navigation controls, such as joystick controls, are used for electronic games (e.g., to position a computer-generated object on a display) and for steering control devices for self-propelled electric wheelchairs (e.g., to position the wheelchair in space). Computerized devices, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDA's), and Internet Protocol (IP) telephones, typically utilize multiple position or multi-direction navigation controls for directing movement of a cursor on associated computer display.
Conventional joystick controls use a central actuating lever that pivots about a central point to close switch contacts located in proximity to the central point. During operation of a typical joystick, a user positions the joystick to close one of four switch contacts to move an object in space or an object appearing on a section. For example, the user closes the individual switch contacts to move the object along either a north-south (e.g., up and down) direction or an east-west (e.g., left and right) direction, within to a two-dimensional, Cartesian coordinate system, relative to the user. The user also closes combinations of adjacent switch contacts to move the object along a northeast, southwest, northwest, or southeast (e.g., diagonal) direction within the coordinate system relative to the user.
Conventional computerized devices (e.g., IP telephones, cellular telephones, PDA's) typically include a display for a user interactive menu associated with the device. The conventional computerized devices also have a navigation control that allows a user to navigate a cursor in either a north-south (e.g., up-down) direction or an east-west (e.g., right-left) direction relative to the display. Such navigation allows the user to select or activate particular device functions listed in the menu.